Changing Schools or DLI on a Study Permit
International students at the post-secondary level can no longer simply transfer to another designated learning institution and update IRCC. If your study permit names a DLI and you want to attend a different DLI, you generally need to apply for and receive a new study permit naming the new school before you begin studying there.
The Current Rule for Changing DLIs
Since November 8, 2024, the rules for post-secondary students changing schools in Canada have fundamentally changed.
Under section 217.1 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, if you hold a study permit in Canada that names a designated learning institution and you are accepted into a course or program at a different DLI that you intend to attend, you must apply for a new study permit naming the new institution.
The regulatory condition in IRPR 220.1(1)(a) also requires a study permit holder in Canada to enrol at the DLI named in the permit and remain enrolled there until completing their studies.
The former process of simply changing your DLI information in your online account is no longer the general rule for post-secondary transfers. A change to another DLI now generally requires a new study permit.
For the broader rules governing study permits, see Study Permit Canada: Complete Guide .
When Do You Need a New Study Permit?
If you are studying at the post-secondary level and want to move from the DLI named on your study permit to a different DLI, you generally need to obtain a new study permit.
IRCC instructs students in Canada to apply for the new permit by applying to extend their existing study permit.
| Change | General rule |
|---|---|
| One post-secondary DLI to another post-secondary DLI | Apply for a new study permit naming the new DLI. |
| Change programs at the same post-secondary DLI | You can generally continue with the existing valid study permit unless a condition on the permit prevents the change or an extension is otherwise needed. |
| Primary school to secondary school | A study permit extension is generally not required solely because of this change if the current permit remains valid and its conditions allow it. |
| Secondary school to post-secondary studies | A new study permit is required. |
The exact process depends on both the level of study and whether the educational institution itself is changing.
Changing Programs at the Same DLI
Changing your program or level of study at the same post-secondary DLI is different from transferring to a different DLI.
IRCC's current guidance states that you can generally keep studying at your DLI with your current valid study permit as long as you continue to meet your study permit conditions.
If the new program will continue beyond the expiry of your current permit, you will need to apply for an extension. Depending on the circumstances, a new PAL or TAL may also be required for that extension.
Always check the actual conditions printed on your study permit. A condition that restricts the type or level of study can affect whether you can begin the new program without first obtaining a new permit.
How to Change to a New DLI in Canada
For a post-secondary student changing to another DLI from inside Canada, the general process is:
- Obtain a valid letter of acceptance from the new DLI.
- Confirm that the new institution is currently on Canada's designated learning institution list.
- Obtain a new PAL or TAL if one is required for your application.
- Prepare a letter explaining why you are changing schools.
- Apply online to extend your study permit so that IRCC can issue a new study permit naming the new DLI.
- Identify in the online application that you are a student residing in Canada who is changing your DLI.
- Continue complying with the conditions of your existing study permit while IRCC processes the application.
- Unless you fall within the specific exception discussed below, wait until the new study permit is approved before starting studies at the new DLI.
IRCC currently provides a 60-day processing route for students changing to a new post-secondary DLI. To use it, the applicant must identify the DLI change in the online study permit extension application as instructed by IRCC.
For the general extension procedure, see Study Permit Extension in Canada .
When Can You Start Studying at the New DLI?
In the ordinary case, you should not start studying at the new post-secondary DLI merely because you submitted an application for a new study permit.
IRCC states that students changing schools generally need to receive the new study permit for the new DLI before they begin studying there.
This is an important distinction from an ordinary extension at the same institution. Maintained status does not generally give a student permission to disregard the DLI named in the existing permit and begin attending a different institution.
Students should coordinate the admission date at the new school with the study permit application. Leaving the current DLI too early can create immigration compliance issues and may also affect the validity of the existing study permit.
When Can You Start at the New DLI While Waiting?
IRCC provides a narrow exception that can allow a student to begin studying at a new DLI while the new study permit application is still being processed.
You must meet all of IRCC's applicable criteria. You must not have left Canada since receiving the letter of acceptance from the new DLI, and you must continue to meet the conditions of your previous study permit.
In addition, before you completed your course or program, your previous DLI must have:
- closed;
- discontinued your course or program;
- been placed on the DLI suspension list; or
- lost its designated status.
If these criteria are not met, the student should obtain the new study permit before beginning studies at the new DLI.
Do You Need a New PAL or TAL When Changing Schools?
In many cases, yes. IRCC's current school-change instructions state that a student applying to change DLIs must include a new, valid provincial attestation letter or territorial attestation letter unless an exemption applies.
IRCC identifies this as a requirement for DLI changes from January 22, 2025.
The PAL/TAL should be obtained before the application is submitted. Whether an applicant is exempt depends on the current PAL/TAL rules and the applicant's circumstances.
See PAL/TAL for Canada Study Permits for the current exemptions and requirements.
Changing Your DLI in Quebec
Quebec students have an additional provincial layer to consider.
IRCC states that, with limited exceptions, a student moving to a school in Quebec must obtain an attestation confirming issuance of a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) and include it with the study permit application.
Students who are already studying in Quebec and want to change their educational institution or level of study should also check the current requirements of Quebec's Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration.
IRCC currently states that a student changing between schools that are vocational training centres does not need to apply for a new study permit solely for that change, but does need a new CAQ.
Changing Your DLI If You Are Outside Canada
A different procedure applies when a study permit application has already been approved but the student changes schools before coming to Canada.
IRCC states that if your study permit application has been approved and you change your school while outside Canada, you must submit a new study permit application with the new letter of acceptance.
You must also pay the applicable fees for the new application.
An approval associated with one DLI should therefore not be treated as transferable to a different school before travel to Canada.
Changing the DLI While Your Application Is Pending
If your study permit application is still in progress and has not yet been decided, IRCC currently allows you to notify the department that you want to change the DLI in the pending application.
You can do this through the IRCC web form by submitting:
- the new letter of acceptance; and
- a new PAL or TAL, if one is required.
This situation should be distinguished from a study permit application that has already been approved. After approval, a student outside Canada who changes schools must submit a new study permit application.
What If Your DLI Closes, Is Suspended or Loses Designation?
Special rules apply when the problem originates with the institution rather than a voluntary transfer by the student.
If a DLI loses its designated status after the study permit was issued, IRCC states that the student can generally continue studying there until the current permit expires.
However, the student generally cannot extend the study permit at that institution unless the institution is re-designated. The student can instead apply for a study permit extension to change to another DLI.
As discussed above, students whose previous DLI closed, discontinued their program, was suspended or lost designated status may also qualify for the limited rule allowing them to begin at the new DLI while the new permit application is pending.
What Happens If You Change Schools Without Authorization?
Changing to a different post-secondary DLI without following the required process can create significant immigration consequences.
Under IRPR 220.1(1), a study permit holder in Canada must enrol at the DLI named in the permit, remain enrolled there until completing the studies and actively pursue the course or program.
IRPR 222 also provides for invalidity of a study permit in specified circumstances, including when the permit holder is no longer enrolled at the DLI named in the permit other than because the student completed their studies.
IRCC warns that if a student changes schools without following the required process:
- the old school may report the student as no longer registered or enrolled;
- the student may be considered to be breaking study permit conditions;
- the study permit may become invalid or may be cancelled;
- the student may be required to leave Canada or change status; and
- the non-compliance may affect future study or work permit applications.
Post-secondary DLIs are subject to student compliance reporting. IRCC uses enrolment information from institutions to assess whether international students continue to comply with their study permit conditions.
A school transfer is no longer merely an administrative update. The DLI named on a post-secondary student's permit is tied directly to the student's regulatory conditions and permit validity.
Changing Schools and DLI FAQs
Can I change universities on the same study permit?
Generally, no. If your study permit names one post-secondary DLI and you want to attend another DLI, IRPR 217.1 requires an application for a new study permit naming the new institution.
Can I start at my new university while the application is pending?
Generally, you must wait until the new study permit is approved. IRCC provides a limited exception where the previous DLI closed, discontinued the student's program, was suspended or lost designated status and the student meets all of the other specified criteria.
Do I need a new study permit if I change programs at the same university?
Not necessarily. IRCC states that students can generally continue studying at the same DLI with a valid study permit if they continue to meet its conditions. An extension may still be required if the new program lasts beyond the permit's expiry date or the existing permit conditions restrict the change.
Do I need a new PAL or TAL to change schools?
In most DLI-change applications where the PAL/TAL requirement applies, IRCC requires a new valid PAL/TAL. An applicant who falls within a current PAL/TAL exemption does not need one.
What if my study permit application is still processing?
You can notify IRCC of the new DLI through the web form and provide the new letter of acceptance and PAL/TAL if required.
What if my study permit has already been approved but I am outside Canada?
If you change schools after approval while outside Canada, IRCC requires a new study permit application with the new letter of acceptance and new application fees.
Is there faster processing when changing DLIs?
Yes. IRCC currently provides 60-day processing for students changing to a new post-secondary DLI when they follow the specific online application instructions for a school change.
DLI-change rules can affect both study permit validity and student compliance. Confirm the current IRCC instructions and the applicable Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations before transferring schools.